Category Archives: Training

Training Analysis, Part 1

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With only one major race left, I thought I would take a look back at my training over 2007 and provide thoughts, insights, and other information from it for you. I trained for 3 major events this year, the Indy 500 Mini Marathon, Bears of the Blue River 10K, and Midsouth Half Marathon.

First up is the Mini-Marathon. I began 2007 having recovered from injuries sustained throughout the year in 2006. After going to the Runner’s Forum I was fitted with stability shoes (ASICS® Men’s GT 2120), which helped relieve some of the knee pain. Coming back from no running since September 2006 I took it nice and slow getting back into shape. I may have taken it a little too easy but I wanted to be sure my body would last for the whole season!

I spent a lot of time on the Elliptical machine and the bike during January. I modeled it similar to a training program slowly building time and varying the program to include hills, intervals, etc, using an easy hard easy schedule. I introduced running after about 2 weeks of training, starting with only a half mile on the treadmill, then hitting the elliptical again. By the end of February I was finally doing mostly running and hit a 17 mile week of easy running.

I had decided to use a Cool Running Half-Marathon training program. Because my mileage had been so low I opted for the Intermediate program instead of the advanced. It was designed for runners currently running 25-50 mile weeks or a goal time under 1:45. The twelve-week program focuses a lot on getting miles under your belt with one weekly speed session and one long run. The hardest week was a 40 miler in week 9.

Looking back through my schedule, I didn’t follow the training program at all. Since I was still cross-training when the program began, I was behind on my mileage the entire time. My mileage peaked at 35 in week 9, but my workouts didn’t really follow anything in the training program!

My training included a lot of rest time due to various pains and continued caution with my injuries. Only during six of the 12 weeks did I actually run 5 days out of the week. Speedwork was pretty non-existent but did include a couple of fartleks, one true speed session of 2 x 1/4, 2 x 1/2, and 1/8, a couple time running up hills hard at Mounds, and a few “races” at Shadyside. I also ran a DINO 15K race for training/tempo run/race!

Needless to say my race wasn’t spectacular! I ran a 1:41:53 half marathon time which was only 3 minutes off last year’s Mini time and 7 minutes off my 2005 half marathon PR. My splits were:

7:56 7:17 7:26 7:19 7:28 7:38 7:45 7:44 7:47 7:49 8:01 8:19 8:40 0:39 1:41:53

I went into the race with no expectations so was fairly pleased and appreciated having David Dehart to run with for pretty much most of the race.

Looking back, training more consistently would have helped a lot, but I do think I was able to compete longer for 2007 because I was cautious getting back into it and made sure my body was healed and didn’t push through the pain. I am content with the first part of my training and I think it laid a good foundation for later on this year!

Here is a graph from my training log at Running Ahead.

The four stars in a row are from the ARRC Shadyside pre-season races. This graph doesn’t include the elliptical or bike.

Yesterday’s Run

It was back in the mid-40’s for this easy 3 mile run at Mounds State Park. The trail was very wet with some puddles, but nothing major on the perimeter loop. I forgot my watch at home so I’m not sure of my time, but I took it nice and easy. I haven’t seen any deer for awhile, but I did see some of Anderson’s Finest as the APD SWAT Team was enjoying a run through the park!

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Taper Time

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The taper is as important to your training as speedwork, long runs, and consistent training. Unfortunately, it is often abused and misused which can have negative impacts on your race performance.

For weeks/months you have been building up mileage, adding intensity, and are now peaking before your big race.  If you have been following a professional or set training schedule then the taper is already built in and it should be relatively easy to follow.

During your taper you will slowly decrease your overall mileage, as a result many people skip runs or workouts during this phase.  Don’t! It is important to stay consistent, even as you back down the mileage.  You should also focus on relaxing, stretching, and planning mentally for the big day!

According to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise:

The primary aim of the taper should be to minimize accumulated fatigue, rather than to attain additional physiological adaptations or fitness gains.

Run to Win lists four primary benefits of the taper:

  1. A reduced level of perceived exertion: You can run faster and longer with less energy and strain.
  2. Improved muscular economy: The amount of oxygen that your muscles require at a given intensity decreases, and your VO2 max (a measure of aerobic performance) can improve by as much as 8%.
  3. Improved glycogen storage: Your muscles can store more fuel than is possible during intense training, assuming that your diet provides that fuel.
  4. You will sleep better.

BE CAREFUL

  • Watch your diet, as you train less you are burning fewer calories
  • Gradually decrease your mileage, not intensity. You can still do some speedwork even the week before a big race.
  • Keep running consistently, your body needs to stay loose, just make them easier and shorter!
  • Don’t start your taper too soon, this can lead to negative effects as your body deconditions.
  • Check out this article with a long list of problems and solutions.
  • Stretch
  • Avoid extra stress or strenuous work

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A Lost Art: Accelerations

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We accelerate our cars by pushing down on the accelerator (gas pedal), but we often forget to accelerate our running.

I recently switched training programs and now after every easy run I’m supposed to do accelerations. I remember how important these are because we use to do them a lot at Taylor, but since then I haven’t done them much but did do their close cousin: strides.

Accelerations are different than strides but have many of the same benefits. Often part of a broader plyometric set (or speed form training), accelerations are simple and can be done anywhere you run. All you need is about 100 yards of smooth surface.

The purpose of speed-form training is to improve your leg turnover (or stride frequency, as some call it), power, running economy, and relaxation while running. Runner’s World

Accelerations should be done after your body is already warmed-up, you should run for at least 10 minutes before doing these. It is best to already have a decent level of conditioning and some speed work history. If you haven’t done any speedwork you should focus on strides first.

  1. Pick a starting and ending point,
  2. Begin slowly. I usually walk the first step or two
  3. gradually accelerate (pick up speed).
  4. The last 10 meters or so should be at 100% but should feel smooth, as if you are gliding.
  5. Recover for about 100 meters or 2 minutes and repeat.

Build up to doing between 4 or 5 accelerations.

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A Lost Art: Striding

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To become faster you have to train your body to be faster.

Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon winner, describes strides as…

…gradual accelerations over 60 to 80 meters. By running four to six strides several times a week, you help your legs and the rest of your body remember what it’s like to run fast. Without strides or some type of speed-form drill, it’s easy to get sloppy in your running and do only slow running with bad form. You can find yourself slipping into a pattern where you’re training to run slowly and inefficiently rather than faster and more economically.

Strides should be done after your body is already warmed-up, you should run for at least 10 minutes before doing these. It is best to already have some level of conditioning but you can add more strides each week. Focus on your form, staying smooth, you shouldn’t be straining your body.

  1. Pick a starting and ending point (about 100 meters),
  2. Begin at a slow jog
  3. Increasing your speed to 80-90% within the first 30 meters
  4. Maintaining that pace throughout the distance.
  5. Recover for about 100 meters or 2 minutes and repeat.

Build up to doing between 4 or 5 strides.

In the Complete Book of Running Coach Roy Benson says

Do short sprints (strides) with a fast, but easy, effort. Think legs, not lungs. The idea is to use as big a range of motion and as rapid a turnover as possible but for a short enough distance so that you never huff and puff.

A full list of running drills can be found at Running Planet.

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What Running Equipment Do You Use?

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This is your chance to leave a message and talk about the equipment you run with on a regular basis.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, you can just list what type of shoes, watch, heart rate monitor, etc that you wear. 

I want to know what others use when running and this is a great way to find out what the running community values and sees as important during a run!

My Equipment

I’m pretty simple in my running.

I’m currently wearing Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 shoes, a Timex Ironman 100 watch  , and on some runs I wear my Sandisk Sansa e250 2GB mp3 player  with armband .

 

So, what do you wear and use? Leave a comment.  If you normally get the e-mail version go to the website and leave a comment at the bottom of the post.  Click where it says “comments” and type in your running equipment.

Thanks for sharing!

 

 

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